Science Entrepreneurs Give a Look at the Future at LEEP Demo Day
This year’s LEEP Demo Day was hosted in Berkeley and organized by our partners at Cyclotron Road
Science entrepreneurs bring a rare mix of vision, drive, curiosity, and grit. At this year’s LEEP Demo Day, those qualities were on full display.
Activate leaders and fellows joined representatives from across government, academia, and the startup ecosystem to show how supporting science entrepreneurs is one of the most effective ways to tackle our most urgent global challenges.
The Key to Sparking Science Leadership: Invest in the Individual
During the keynote panel, Activate CEO Cyrus Wadia shared the simple yet powerful insight being Activate’s model: invest in the individual. Activate and the LEEP fellowships are designed to meet scientists where they are, including business training that’s tailored to science leaders, 1:1 mentoring, and access to top-tier lab facilities. That lab access is especially a game-changer because it lowers the barriers for launching a company and, importantly, for moving these big science discoveries forward.
Cyrus Wadia (right) during his panel at LEEP Demo Day
“Activate makes it possible for scientists to make the personal transition from Ph.D. research to science entrepreneur. Most of all, it gives a path to move their science research forward into the world.”
This model of supporting the individual is a big reason why 96% of Activate Fellows’ companies are still operating 5-10 years after their fellowship, a remarkable metric in the world of early-stage startups.
Transforming Research into Real-World Impact
A lot of early-stage hard tech could reasonably spend a decade in R&D cycles. However, with the right support, Activate Fellows show they can dramatically speed up the rate of development.
“We’ve found that we can accelerate timelines by doing three things,” Cyrus explained. “Accelerate learning for entrepreneurs, remove technical risk, and give founders the technical access they need. That’s how we speed up hard tech innovation and get it into the world.”
Check out the Activate fellows who shared their stories during the pitch sessions:
Nathan Good, RareTerra | Developing a one-step, acid-free microbial process to recover and separate REE using complex and waste sources
Palak Jain, Vellex Computing | Accelerating grid deployment to meet AI & electrification needs
William Liberti, Morphosis | Developing neural interfaces that provide real-time authentication and control of technology
Drew Lilley, Calion Technologies | Making air conditioners without refrigerants, using salt and water
Michelle Lu, Novel Farms | Manufacturing animal cells for food applications
Patricia McNeil, Westwood Aerogel | Advanced aerogel insulation manufacturing for battery pack protection
Jared O'Leary, SirenOpt | Sensing and software platform to improve the performance and yield of micro- and nano-materials
Julian Rees, Hopo Therapeutics | Developing drugs to treat heavy metal poisoning
Jyoti Taneja, Varada Agriculture | Harnessing nature’s biology for planet positive agriculture
Read about more Activate Fellows who have moved from the lab to commercialization to defining new industries in Activate’s 2024 Annual Report.
